Just As Same As You
by Hitsuzen Nakagauchi
Summary: A Rukawa POV


Dead silence, just like him. No one knew him, except for his own self. Cold, distant...that is the usual description they give him. With only him hiding the true reflection of the real Rukawa Kaede. He is getting bored of sleeping, basketball, more sleeping and more basketball. Girls screams delightfully of his skills and good looks, he is getting tired of it as well. Is there anyone who will see him as him? Undaunted of the things that covers his real self, popularity and prestige. Is there anyone who will try to know him?

Knock on the door. Who disturbs his wandering thoughts? A girl with long jet black hair peeked nervously on the door. Her eyes displays sets of hesitations, he only seat up and waits for her voice to speak.

"Oniichan..."

"Come in..."

She nods and closed the door behind her back with a tray of food on her hands. He forgot that it is past eight and he hadn't eat anything yet since this morning. He trailed her incoming figure with a blank stare. Is she as cold as I do? Is she as distant as I do to others? His inner self retort. She is a Rukawa just like him, living in the same roof eating on the same table. And inspite on all of this, he really doesn't know her that much. Is he someone of no substance? Is he? Or is he not?

"Gomen nasai for intruding your rest oniichan...I am just wondering

if you want to eat so that is why I brought you some food."

"Am I distant?"

"Eh? O-of c-course not. Why did you ask?"

"Nothing..."

She placed the tray in the side table and bowed as she heads back to the door. He has a sister and he has never became a brother figure to her. She never asked him to be though and he wants to be one. But he didn't. Instead, he hold it back, all behind.

"Haruka, could you stay...for awhile..."

Not obviously shock, she step back and seats at the edge of his bed. Silent. Clutching her fingers together and waiting for him to say something.

"Oniichan...I really need to talk to you so badly. Well, ah..."

He picked up the ball and smashed it against his fist. Her shoulder shook. He saw it and put the thing down. He doesn't want to scare her, all he wants to do is to know her. To let her know him better and different from the Rukawa Kaede who has nothing in mind except for basketball and sleeping and as the ace player of Shohoku. At least the first one to know him is his own flesh and blood.

"Gomen nasai..."

He remembered. Just yesterday, he and Sakuragi had gone through a different scuffle that made him think twice about his own self. The others couldn't do anything except to stare at them with no hope left of making them stop.

- - - -

"Teme Kitsune! Why don't you just jump off the cliff and be gone! You good for nothing selfish fox! How many people crave for your attention and the only thing you give them is a snort! You don't deserve anything! You are a coward! You hear me! A coward!"

Sakuragi was drag off by Miyagi and Mitsui outside the gym. His forehead is bleeding from the headbutt he received from him. But that is not what hurted him. It is the words he just said. Selfish, coward. Yes, he is coward for he introvertedly resides his pains and fears of being hurt by anyone. "Rukawa-kun, are you okay? Here, let me bandage your head." Ayako is always nice to him and to anyone else. But she doesn't know him any good. He just let her clean the blood from the wound and put some antiseptic. He didn't mind the pain for he is already a pained person.

- - - -

"You see ah, well I had been invited to join the team in school. I am actually really bad about basketball..."

"You want me to teach you?"

She nailed her eyes at the floor and nods. He sees the high hopes she's expecting from him. He has never been to teaching anyone about basketball and he doesn't know how would he handle his own patience.

"Yes...if you won't mind... I want to be just as same as you."

Just as same as you. He wishes it is easy to be him. And it won't be more easier for someone to be like him when he himself is not sure about being him.

"Hao, tommorrow I will start teaching you...is it okay?"

"Hai oniichan! I promise, I would not be a snot. I promise."

The excitement on her voice sounds greatly in his ears. Her smiles brought warmth and grace to his stone like feature. Never been in his whole life he feel this things. Not with Ayako nor with Haruko or anyone else. Only Haruka. You don't deserve anything! You are a coward! You hear me! A coward! That hurts. Sakuragi just don't know how he feels, he just exactly don't know what he thinks. No one do.

"What do you like..."

"Me?"

"Yes...you."

Her face focused on the closed curtained window. She opened it and brought a moon light to shade in his dark room. Gust of wind gently blew her hair. He saw this same thing on Haruko.

"I like simple things like flowers and nature. Simple music that brings serenity. Normal life, simple friends and..."

Her voice trails as she look up at him and smiles.

"A brother like you. You're different. We might not talk to each other very often but I see you holding everything, weighing them alone. Bearing it like you don't care how it will cost you. I want to help you but you always push me away. But its okay, I don't mind. As long as you're okay, I am okay."

"Do you regret of having a brother like me?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes..."

She stood up and straightened herself. She opened the door and waved goodbye.

"I don' regret anything oniichan. For me, I have a great and wonderful brother. And that couldn't be changed."

The door closed leaving him replaying what she had said.

Haruka...Rukawa Haruka, Kaede's little sister. A little girl wanting to be just like him. For the first time, he smiles and eats up the food she prepared for him. The food taste good, it is only now he knew what a good cook she is.

Morning came. The door opened and she entered with a sunny smile. She plunked on the bed, waking him up with her shakes. He slowly opened his eyes making him to see her jet black eyes penetraing his blue ones. He stretch up and just remained half-dozing.

"Wake up oniichan! Come on!"

"Yes, I'll be outside in a minute."

All his depression disappears. He looked at the mirror like mini-pond of water on the street. She is walking ahead. His face is as white as a dead corpse. But he knows now that he isn't as cold as they say. He believes what Haruka said. A smile of hope placed his lips.

"Oniichan! Hurry up!"

He snaps up and continued walking. He doesn't care if anyone thinks he is distant and very unresponsive. Although he could make only one person happy, it is enough for him. At least he knows that he isn't a coward and thus deserve to have something. Having his sister around…he knows he wouldn't be lonely anymore.

--end


End file.
